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L. L. MELTON. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE- v APPLICATION FILED AUG.2I.

1919- .RENEWED OCT- 6,1920- Patented May 17 UNITED STATES PATENT ounce.

LLOYD I. MELTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

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Application filed August 21, 1919, Serial No. 318,938. Renewed October 6, 1920. Serial No. 415,216.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LLOYD L. MELTON, citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of position, a further advantage being that short circuiting is avoided not only by the action of water and other foreign matter but also by the elimination of any looseness in the wiring.

My invention may be embodied in an engine having a single cylinder but it is especially useful in conjunction with a plural cylinder engine. In carrying out my invention I employ a hood at the spark plug end of the engine this hood containing connections that lead to the spark plugs and carrying a mounting for some of these connections which are extended through or along the mounting to the engine exterior where they have switching connection with wires that extend to the source of current ;by Way of a timer, in the case of a plural cylinder engine but to which the invention is not to be limited.

The Wires that [extend to the timer are embedded in a body bfinsulation which is preferably-molded about the same so as to maintain the wires in fixed relation with each other as well as with suchbody of insulation.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanying drawingshowing the preferred embodiment thereof and in which Figure 1 is anend view of an engine having a number of cylinders, a part of the structure shown being illustrated in cross section; Fig. 2 isa plan view of the cover portion of the engine that contains current conducting devices for including the spark plugs of the various cylinders in circuit; Fig. 3 is a detail view on a large scale of a part of the structure appearing in Fig. 1 butshowing a separation between the embedded wires extended from the timer and the connections extending into the interior of the hood; and Fig. 4 is a view on line 44 of Fig. 1 with a section broken away because of lack ofspace.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the difierent The internal combustion engine illustrated may-be of any suitable type whose charges are ignited by electrically produced sparks, Fig. 1 showing one cylinder 1 of such an engine partly broken away. This cylinder has a head 2-provided with a conicalrecess 3 within which the spark plug 4, of any suitable design, is disposed. The inner end of the spark plug is provided with two separated contacts that constitute the sparking gap. Each of the other cylinders of the engine. is similiarly equipped, all as is well understood by those skilled in the art.

A water and dust tight hood 5 has tight engagement with the top of the engine, this hood extending across the entire "engine structure so as to overlie all the spark plugs 4; thereof to protect the'same from water, dust, and otherforeignmatter. Aboard 6 Specification of Letters Patent. Patented llay 17,1921;

of insulation such as fiber or vulcaniteisbolted against the under side of the lugs or ribs 7 that are provided within the hood, 5,

This board has an angular extension, as illustrated clearly in Fig. 2,]this angular extension extending through, an openingj in the hood, the margins of the opening being so closely engagedby the board as to render the hood water and dust proof at this place where the board passes therethrough. The skirt of thehood has water and dust proof engagement with the top of the engine, there being desirably means wherebythe hood is.

received in a corresponding groove in the engine, this hinge structure being therefore of such a nature that after the hood is released at the latch 8 it may not only be raised but may be bodily removed.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention there are desirably as many uides 10 as there are spark plugs, these gui es be ing mounted upon the bottom face of the board 6. These guides have bores which are axially alined with the spark plugs and in abutting engagement with the outerends of the metallic current conducting posts 12 which carry sparking contacts which are complemental to other sparking contacts that are grounded upon the engine as is understood.

A mounting block 18 is mounted upon the upper side of the board 6 and carries current conducting contact springs 14, one for each pin 11. These springs exert downward pressure upon the pins 11 in the direction of their movability and maintain the lower or inner ends of these pins in firm electr1cal connection with the posts 12. The springs.

14- are connected with metallic plug receiving socket 15, there being one such socket for each spring and therefore one for each spark plug. The sockets of the various springs are desirably assembled upon the angular extension 16 of the board 6 at the front end of the engine. Each socket is connected with its spring by means of a metallic strip or wire 17 mechanically and electrically connected with its socket15 at one end and provided at its other end with a threaded socket 18 which receives a threaded stem of the screw 19 whose head is screwed firmly down upon the corresponding spring 14. The entire arrangement is such that each spring is efl'ectively electrically connected with its socket 15 by a structure whose parts are in mechanically fixed relation. The screws 19 4 may also be relied upon to hold the block 13 down upon the board 6 to maintain these "parts 13 and Gin fixed relation.

T-he portions16 of the board snugly engage the margins of the opening in the hood 5 through which this boardportion projects but I desirably further guard the opening in the hood 5 through which the board is extended by means of a canopy 20. The sockets 15 desirably face downwardly and are preferably placed in a straight row which'is upon the exterior of the engine to be in position to he slipped into engagement with the split spring lugs 21 in which the wires 22 terminate, t ese plugs being em bedded at their inner ends within a body of insulating material 23 in which the wires 22 are preferably molded. This body of insulating material 23 is secured to the exterior side of the engine by screws 24 which serve to position the plugs 21 so that they may readily be engaged by the sockets 15 when the hood is placed in closed position to be held in such position at its forward end by the latch 8. Thus, as the hood is swung closed uppn its hinge 9 the springs 14 and the spar plugs individual thereto will be brought into connection with the wires 22 pertaining thereto and when the hood is opened the connections between said wires" the lower ends of the wires 22 terminating in contacts 27 that are within the interior of the timer casing to be successively engaged byv the wiper 28 which is operated by the well known gearing 29 driven by the engine. The

cap 25 1s snugly engaged with the body of rthe timer casing so that the structure is weather proof at this point as well as elsewhere.

While I have herein shown and particu larly described the preferred embodiment of the invention T do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown as changes mayreadily be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, but having thus described my invention ll claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following I 1. An internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders each provided with a spark plug, in combination with a hood current conducting means within the hood for including the spark plugs in circuit; a

mounting for the current conducting means which extends through an opening provided in the hood; switching parts, one for each engine cylinder, carried by said mounting upon the exterior of the hood and connected with the aforesaid current conducting means; conductors upon the exterior of the engine, one individual to each engine cylinder, for connecting the spark plug thereof with a source of current and terminating, adjacent the aforesaid'swit'ching parts, in other switching parts, the first aforesaid switching parts being disposed to be engageable bythe closure of the hood with the second aforesaid-switching parts; a timer provided with a casing having a cap por tion at which the conductors upon the exteriorof the engine terminates in timer contacts; and a body of insulating material connected with said cap portion and holding said conductors and the switching parts in which these conductors terminate in substantially fixed relation.

2. An internal combustion engine having a plurality'of cylinders each provided with a spark-plug, in combination with a hoodj current conducting means within the hood for including the spark plugs in circuit; switching parts one for each engine cylinder, carried by ,the hood u on its exterior and connected with the a oresaid current conducting means; conductors upon the exterior of the engine, one individual'to each engine cylinder, for; connecting the sparking parts; a timer provided with a casing having a cap portion at which the conduc tors upon the. exterior of the engine terminate in timer contacts; and a body of nsulating material connected with said cap portion and holding said conductors and the switching parts in which these conductors terminate in substantially fixed relation.

3. An internal combustion engine having aplurality'of cylinders each provided with a spark plug, in combination with a hood; current conducting means within the hood for including the spark plugs in circuit; a mounting for the current conducting means which extends through. an opening provided in the hood; switching parts, one for each engine cylinder, carriedby said mounting upon the exterior of thehood and connected with the aforesaid current conducting means; conductors upon the exterior of the engine, one individual to each engine cylinder, for connecting the'spark plug thereof with a source of current and terminating, adjacentthe aforesaid switching parts, in other switching parts, the first aforesaid switching parts being disposed to be en-' gageable by the closure of'the hood with the second aforesaid switching parts; and a timer provided with a casing having a cap portion at which the conductors upon the exterior of the engine terminate in timer contacts.

4. An internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders each provided with a spark plug, in combination with a hood;

current conducting means within the hoodfor including the spark plugs in circuit; switching parts, one for each engine cylinder, carried by the hood u on its exterior and connected with the a oresaid current conducting means; conductors upon the ex 1 terior of the engine, one individual to each engine cylinder, for connecting the spark plug with a source of current and terminating, adjacent; the aforesaid switchingparts, in other switching parts that are complemental to the aforesaid switching parts, the first aforesaid switching parts being engageable with the second aforesaid switching parts ;and a timer provided with a casing having a cap portion at which the conductors upon the exterior of the engihe terminate in timer contacts.

5. An internal combustion engine provided with a spark plug," in combination with a hood; current conducting means within the hood for including the spark plug in circuit; a switching part carried 7 by the hood upon its exterior and connectvided with a spark plug, in combination g."v

ed with the aforesaid current conducting means; and a conductor upon the exterior of the engine for connecting the spark plug 7 with a source of current and terminating,

adjacent the aforesaid switching part, 111

another switching part that is complemem' tal to the aforesaid switching part, these switching parts being engageable by the closure of the hood. I

6. An internal combustion engine prov with a hood; current conducting means within the hood for including the spark plug in circuit; a mounting for the current conducting means which extends through an opening provided in the hood; a switching part carried by said mounting upon the exterior of the hood and connected with the aforesaid current, conducting means and a J conductor upon the exterior of the engine" for connecting the spark plug with a source of current and terminating, adjacent the aforesaid switching part, in another switch- 7 ing part that is complemental to the aforesaid switching part, these switching parts being disposed to be engageable by the closureofthe hood.

7.- An internal combustion engine provided with a spark plug,v in combination with a hood; a current conducting pin for connectmg a terminal of the spark plug'in circuit; a spring maintaining said pin my. J

circuit; a switching part carried by the hood ,upon its exterior and connected with said spring; and a conductor upon the exterior of the engine for connecting the spark lug with a source of current and terminating, adjacent the aforesaid switching part,

in another switching part that is complemental to the aforesaid switching part, these I switchin parts being engageable by the do sure'of t e hood.

8. An internal combustion engine provided with a spark plug, in'combination with a hood a current conducting pin for 1 current and terminating, adjacent the aforesaid switching part, in another. switching part that is complemental to the aforesaid swltching part, these switching parts beingdlsposed'to. be engageable bythe closure of the hood.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this l ithday of July, A. D. 1919.

LLOYD L. MELTON. 

